We had a great time at Disney! My camera was broken when we got there, so I had to use disposable cameras for the first day. Ugh! I forgot you can't just snap away and went through the first 24 pics in about three minutes. The pics are being processed and we can pick them up later today. I hope some turned out okay! I did buy a little camera the next day. I had to make sure it was one that took regular batteries as I didn't have time to wait for it to charge.

The girls were up every night until 11p or after, with no naps, just running on adrenaline. The weather was beautiful, the crowds weren't too bad and we're ready to go back! More pics and stories to follow later.

She's a star!!

While we were gone, Carli's school was featured in an article in the "Omaha World-Herald" discussing the Week of the Young Child. Along with the article were two pictures of Carli!! The online version only has one picture. We haven't see the paper version yet. She's always so happy!!

A link to the article is here.

Happy Birthday, Carli

Today Carli is 4 year old! We celebrated last night with cake and presents. We are so blessed to be her parents. We love you, Carli!! Happy 4th Birthday!

By far her favorite gift. Yes, a drum set. We might regret it at some point, but she loves it!

AnLi helping Carli blow out the candles. I think AnLi put a little too much lipstick on. :)Thanks, Heather, for the rainbow cake recipe. We had a great time making it and an ever better time eating it! Heather got the recipe from this blog. We made the full-fat version, not the skinny version.

Two Princesses

The Children's Museum

An Ice Skater?

It's spring break for both of the girls this week. Carli was very excited that we were going ice skating. With swimming Carli is very happy to just watch from the sidelines. But ice skating, no way, she wanted on the ice!

They gave her a car to help at the beginning

Then they took it away and the girls thought they should hold hands.

The instructors quickly stopped that.

Carli's up!!! But that didn't last long.

Part of beginning ice skating is learning how to get yourself up once you fall. Carli mostly just yelled for AnLi to help, but the instructors did not want that. This man sat down to show Carli how to get her knee down, etc., but she was NOT listening to that. She just wanted AnLi.

AnLi gave it another try, but that didn't work so well.

So she sat...and sat...and sat.

Her tush had to have been freezing!

The instructor got Carli up and then let these two skate together. It was no use trying to keep them apart. It wasn't going to happen.

And then another little spill. She was half laughing and half cryingSo we'll give this another shot...Didn't work, so this time the instructor just came right over to help.

Thank goodness! Finally ice time was over!

Even though Carli spent the hour mostly sitting on the ice, AnLi getting frustrated that the instructors wouldn't help Carli up or let her use a car, they both really had a good time. Afterwards Carli kept saying, "Carli LIKE skate!" We celebrated their hard work with DQ afterwards.

We won't be doing that again, at least not for a while, and I'm sure the instructors will be happy about that! Maybe dance or piano for Carli instead? :)

A Day of Visits

Kim, the girls and I took a day to go see our grandparents. My grandpa (my dad's dad) looked great! He's had a rough winter, so we were pleasantly surprised to see him looking and feeling so good. He'll be 97 in July. Wow! Such a sweet picture - Kim & Grandpa

Kim got the girls some Easter presents to keep them busy in the car for the two-plus hour car trip. They REALLY enjoyed the bunny ears and kept grandpa and others entertained by hopping around pretending to be bunnies.
(my camera settings were off for the next pics)

Then it was on to my grandma's (my mom's mom). She always looks great! She still goes to the Y and swims! Grandma had a box of things to get rid of, which included a fake flower candle ring. Kim put it on Carli's head and that was that. There was no way she was taking that off. She wore that the whole time there, the next hour in the car to my mom's, and the whole time at my mom's. Unfortunately, we left it there, so she's without her halo. :)

AnLi switched preschools a few weeks ago and they take their class pictures in the spring. She did have a ponytail in her hair when she left home that morning. Hmm, I guess she decided she'd change it up. :) Even with the messy hair, I just love this picture! The photographer told me she was giving him lots of crazy poses, something like her Strawberry Shortcake pose. LOL! Ice skating has been going well. About ten minutes into her third class, she decided she didn't need the beginner's class anymore and promoted herself to center ice so she could do "tricks" with the other skaters. Her teacher told me they were planning on moving her up the next week anyway. Here they are doing swizzles. (Yes, she wears a helmet!)